Eye-movements in real curve driving: pursuit-like optokinesis in vehicle frame of reference, stability in an allocentric reference coordinate system

• Main Authors: Otto Lappi, Esko Lehtonen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bern Open Publishing 2013-02-01
• Series: Journal of Eye Movement Research
• Subjects: pursuit movement; optokinetic nystagmus; fixation; real driving
• Online Access: https://bop.unibe.ch/JEMR/article/view/2352

Looking at the future path and/or the tangent point (TP) have been identified as car drivers’ gaze targets in many studies on curve driving. Yet little is known in detail about these "fixations to the road". We quantitatively analyse gaze behavior at the level of individual fixations in real on-road data. We find that while gaze tracks the TP area, this pattern consists of fast optokinetic movements (smooth pursuit and fast resetting saccadic movements). Gaze is not “fixed” to the TP. We also relate eye-movements to a reference direction fixed to a point on the trajectory of the vehicle (curve exit), showing that fixations lose their pursuit-like character in this rotating system. The findings are discussed in terms of steering models and neural levels of oculomotor control.